


the Journey Back

by Browneyesparker



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Nicholas Sparks, Romance, Spring, girl meets world - Freeform, joshaya, rucas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-01
Updated: 2016-05-21
Packaged: 2018-05-30 10:24:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6419992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Browneyesparker/pseuds/Browneyesparker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When tragedy strikes, Josh Matthews disappears from society and from Maya Hart's life. A week before her wedding, she shows up again changing their histories. A "Spring" story. Thanks to boymeetsgmw for the photo and the title.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

“I have got the _best_ idea!” Maya said as she sucked on a lime slice and then chucked it across the bar counter.

“I think you’ve had one too many drinks,” Riley replied, throwing the bar tender an apologetic look.

“Don’t you wanna know my good idea, Peaches?” Maya pouted.

 _“Honey,”_ Riley said. “I don’t think any idea you’re going to have right now will be a good one. Unless your idea is to go home and sleep off the questionable amounts of alcohol you’ve consumed.”

“Nope! It’s _better_!” Maya shouted.

“What’s your good idea?” Isadora asked, mouthing _sorry_ to Riley.

“We should all go to the Cape to visit Uncle Boing!”

“Uh. . .” Isadora said.

“That is the opposite of a good idea,” Vanessa told Maya. “That’s actually a really, _really_ bad idea!”

“Whhhhhy!?”

“Because Maya, because you’re getting married!” Riley answered. “You’re getting married in a week!”

“And I can’t just leave Zay alone with the twins,” Vanessa added. “He’d go crazy without my help. I wouldn’t even be _here_ tonight if Lucas hadn’t agreed to let me have a much needed night out.”

“And I have to work in the morning,” Isadora said. “We have a Red Hat Society coming and two school groups. I’m in charge of all three of their tours.”

Maya stuck out her tongue at them. “Well, you two are the lamest bridesmaids _ever_! What about you Riles? Will you come with me to the Cape?”

“I-I really don’t think that’s a good idea,” Riley replied. “You and Josh have history. I don’t think you need to reopen that book a week before you’re getting married to somebody else.”

“Fine! Just fine! I’ll go by myself then!” Maya said, standing up and stumbling a little bit. “There’s nothing any of you can do to stop me. I’ve got the good doctor’s keys.”

“How did you get the keys to Lucas’s truck!?” Riley asked, startled.

Maya waved them in the air. “I took them from your purse when you weren’t looking.”

“That’s just great,” Riley mumbled.

“It looks like you’re babysitting the lovely bride to be,” Vanessa said, smirking.

“You are the maid of honor,” Smackle said. “It’s your duty to make sure she’s okay and that nothing happens to her.”

“Bu-bu-but!!!” Riley protested. “Zack isn’t going to like this!”

“What Zack doesn’t know won’t hurt him!” Maya interjected. “Come on Riley. Please!? Pretty please take me to see Josh in Cape Cod! Please!? I’ll never ask you for anything else ever again.”

“I highly doubt that,” Riley mumbled.

“Please Riles? If you say no, I’m just going to go all by myself,” Maya said again.

“Fine! But only because I don’t want to be responsible for anything that could happen while you’re driving under the influence.”

“Oh! Don’t be such a grandma!” Maya chided. “Are you girls coming?”

“As much as we’d love to, we both have other things to do!” Vanessa answered.

“But say hi to Josh for us,” Isadora added. “Send him our love.”

“I hope you guys know that you are two of the most unfun bridesmaid _ever_!” Maya told them as she gave them wet, tequila kisses on the cheek. “Come on Riles! We need to get this show on the road!!!!!! Time’s a wastin’!”

“Good luck,” Vanessa murmured.

“Call us when you get there!” Isadora said.

Riley groaned and caught a hold of her best friend’s leather jacket. “Hold on a sec, I need to call Lucas and tell him what’s going on.”

“Ugh!” Maya moaned. “Freakin’ ball and chain. Why’d you ever agree to marry the guy in the first place? You haven’t been any fun since you said _‘I do’_!”

“He is my husband, I can’t just up and leave town without telling him!” Riley told Maya. “You’ll understand one day!”

“I hope not!” Maya said empathetically. “Go and call him before I go by myself.”

**.**

Twenty minutes later, they were on the road. Maya was in the passenger seat with her feet up on the dashboard while she swung her glittery feather boa around and sang at the top of her lungs and very off-key with one of her playlists on Spotify.

In the middle of “Pumpin’ Blood”, Maya stopped and looked at Riley with annoyance.

“What?” Riley asked, suddenly self-conscious.

“I don’t hear you singing!” Maya answered. “It isn’t a real road trip until we sing together.”

“I don’t know really this song,”  Riley said.

Maya huffed and scrolled through her songs until she came on one of their childhood favorites. “Okay then. We’ll add some nostalgia to the mix! You better sing!”

“No! I am not singing!” Riley answered. “Somebody has to be the adult here! I cannot sing and drive at the same time!”

“Boo! Being an adult is so overrated!” Maya replied her, turning up the music and rolling down her window.

“You play dirty,” Riley said as Billy Joel started to play. “You know I can’t resist Billy! Especially _this_ song!”

“Then just do it! Give into the music!” Maya urged, giggling wildly.

“I think we need to stop and get you something to eat and drink,” Riley said. “You’re really drunk!”

“Am not! I can still talk perfectly good! I’m not slurring my words or anything!”

Riley sighed. She was in for a long ride.

Two hours into their trip, Maya finally fell asleep. Riley breathed a sigh of relief and turned down the music, with a few pushes of a button. She found _Delilah After Dark_ and started to come up with explanations to give to Josh for showing up at his doorstep.

He’d been totally clear about seeing Maya when he’d left New York three years earlier. He didn’t want to. Ever again. She was only a reminder of everything he had lost. 

**.**

Knocking.

The last time he’d gotten woken up with a knock on his door at 5am was when he’d received awful news. He never wanted to face that again, not in the wee small hours of the morning.

He lay perfectly still, hoping whoever it was would go away if he didn’t answer them.

But they were still knocking, getting more and more persistent. Josh sighed and threw his covers off. He’d just have to scare them off since they weren’t leaving by themselves.

“You better just leave!” Josh said. “I have a gun and I’m not afraid to use it!”

“Uncle Josh, it’s _me_!”

“Riley?” Josh frowned and unlocked the door before throwing it open. “What are you doing here? Are things okay with you and Lucas?”

“We’re fine!” Riley assured him. “I’m here because. . . well. . . Maya wanted to come and see you.”

Josh felt all the air leaving him. “Maya’s here?”

“Define here,” Riley answered. “She’s kind of drunk. I tried to talk her out of it but she wouldn’t take no for an answer. She said she would drive here all by herself in my husband’s truck if I didn’t bring her to see you. So. . . we’ll leave sometime this afternoon, I promise.”

Josh scrubbed his face. “It’s okay. Where is she?”

“Sleeping off the tequila in the truck,” Riley said.

“Okay. I’ll go and get her. You remember where the guest room is?”

“Sure.”

“I just changed the sheets yesterday afternoon,” Josh told her. “Go and pull down the covers so we can get Maya to bed. There are spare toothbrushes in the linen closet. You two can borrow my t-shirts.”

Riley nodded and slipped into the house while Josh shoved his feet into his ratty flip-flops and went to retrieve Maya from the Chevy.

He stopped for a moment when he got to her, it had been so long since the last time they had seen each other. He swallowed past the lump in his throat and reached into the truck for her, he lifted her up like she weighed nothing at all.

Her eyes fluttered open. “Riley? Are we there yet?”

“Do you think you can walk?”

“Josh!?”

“No. It’s Santa Claus,” Josh answered sarcastically. “So, how about it? Do you think you could walk or do I need to carry you?”

“Actually, I think I’m going to be sick! Too much tequila. Would you stop moving for two seconds, _please_!?”

Josh slowed his steps for her. “You better not throw up all over me.”

All Maya did was groan. “Why are you being like this?”

“Hold on, we’re almost in the house. There’s a bathroom right off the kitchen, if you can keep it in until we get inside, you can throw up all you want.”

A few seconds later, she was hugging the toilet and emptying the contents of her stomach into it while Josh held her hair back for her. When it was all over, he helped her out of her spike heels and up the stairs to the guest room.

Maya smiled up at him dopily. “Hey, you grew your hair out and you have a beard too.”

Josh caught her as she almost tripped on the corner of the stairs. “Yeah. Well, a lot of things have changed, Maya.”

“Including you?” Maya shook her head. “You know what. Never mind. I am not nearly sober enough to have this conversation.”

Josh was going to say something but the alarm in his room was beeping, telling him it was time to get ready for his day.

“Hey Riles, it’s my turn to open up the coffee shop,” Josh said, directing Maya to the bathroom upstairs so she could brush her teeth and get out of her club clothes. “Can you handle Maya by yourself?”

“Of course! You go on, we’re the ones imposing on you,” Riley replied, grabbing hold of Maya.

“I’ll probably be back before you leave,” Josh told her as he went to his bedroom to get changed. “There’s lots of stuff for breakfast if you’re hungry when you wake up.”

Maya came out of the bathroom in his t-shirt and boxers, her hair pulled away from her face in a messy bun, her complexion a little grayer than before. “I’m going to bed.”

“I’ll be right there,” Riley told her. “I’m going to brush my teeth and put something else on”

Maya nodded and stumbled into the guest room and onto the bed. She was out in a matter of minutes. Josh changed directions and went into the bathroom and opened his medicine cabinet, he pulled a bottle of Advil out.

“For when Maya wakes up,” Josh said. “I know from experience that she’ll have a nasty hangover even though she threw up.”

Riley nodded and pulled him into a hug. “Thanks Uncle Josh.”

Josh’s throat was tight as he returned Riley’s embrace. “Anything for you Riles. . . and Maya too, of course.”

“I know.”

“I’ve really got to go now,” Josh told her after a few seconds.

Riley watched him go, wondering how messed up Josh and Maya were going to be after seeing each other again for the first time in six years even if it was only for a few hours. 

**TBC. . .**

 

**.**


	2. Chapter 2

 

**.**

**Chapter 2**

**_5 Years Earlier_ **

Josh had just gone to bed after a marathon study session for his psych final when there was a knock on the door. It was probably Maya. She would usually show up in the wee small hours of the morning because her roommate had showed up and kicked her out so she could hook up with whatever guy she’d picked up at the bar.

“Maya!” He groaned. “I gave you a spare key. Use it! I have class in three hours! I want to sleep!”

“Josh, its Cory.”

Josh’s heart stopped beating in his chest. His brother showing up at his door at 5am couldn’t mean anything good. He wanted to dive under the covers and hide like he had when he was little and a storm was brewing in the distance.

“I’m sleeping!” He lied.

“Joshua, you have to be mature and open the door. We need to talk.”

“Go away Cory. _Please_ go away!”

He heard the lock click and the door open. “We can’t not talk about this. We’re both adults here.”

Josh felt sick to his stomach. “It’s mom, isn’t it? Or is it dad?”

“Josh. . .”

Josh looked at his face and stood up. “You’re really crying. Why are you crying!?” He demanded.

“Josh.” Cory swallowed. “Dad and Mom are dead.”

“Dead?” Josh repeated. “Wha- _how_?”

“Car accident,” Cory answered.

“No.”

“They did everything they could but it was too late.”

“No,” Josh repeated.

“They were dead before they got there.”

“NO!” Josh said a little more loudly, realizing he sounded like a petulant child. “You’re lying.”

“No I’m not! **_Why_** would I lie about a thing like _that_!?” Cory replied, coming over and pulling him out of bed and wrapping his arms around him in an embrace. “Our parents are _dead_ , Josh! I don’t like it any more than you do! But we can’t pretend it isn’t happening. It’s happening!”

"Cory. . ."

"Come on, you can come home with me."

"I have a test. . ." Josh said. "I need to go and do my test. . . it's important to my final grade!"

"Your teachers will understand," Cory answered. "They'll be flexible. They're very understanding when it comes to this kind of stuff. It’ll be okay.”

Josh shook his head. “I have to stay here. I have things to do.”

“You need to be with your family right now,” Cory said. “Come on.”

Josh wanted to stay. Maybe he would wake up in the library and find out that he had been dreaming. A combination of not enough sleep and too much caffeine. He dug his nails into the palm of his hand as hard as he could and flinched.

He was definitely wide awake.

“I-I need a few things. Clothes and my toothbrush.”

Cory nodded, looking grateful that he’d at least gotten his little brother to agree to go with him back to his apartment.

.

Josh felt like there was a hush over the city as they made their way back to the Village. It was surreal because New York was always active, always pulsing with life no matter what time of the day it was.

Maybe he needed it to be still. For the place he loved so much to feel the same quiet inner-turmoil that he was experiencing in solidarity with him.

He had lost his parents. He wondered if he was still young enough to be considered an orphan even though logically he had been taking care of himself for four years and he was past the age of 21.

Josh was suddenly angry.

He had had his parents for the least amount of time and now they were gone. They would not be there to see him graduate, or see him and Maya get married like they had always hoped. His children would never know their paternal grandparents. He would never dance with his mother to a sentimental or maybe a fun song at his wedding reception.

He hadn’t gotten to say goodbye to either of them.

He wasn’t ready. He wanted 20 more years with them and then some.

Josh had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn’t realize they’d gotten to Cory’s apartment already. It made it all the more real, knowing they’d go in and be a family in mourning together.

They would make funeral plans and console each other and try to say that one day everything would be okay again. Josh knew he would have to go along with it for their sakes but he wouldn’t believe it. Sure, Cory and Topanga would take on the roles of the glue that held the family together but it wouldn’t be the same.

“Josh!”

Maya was running towards him as fast as she could, her breath coming out in puffs in the early morning air.

“I’ll give you two sometime alone,” Cory told him as he went inside.

Maya ran right into his arms, catching him in a fierce embrace. He stood frozen, his heart stopping and then he wrapped his arms around her and let her hold him.

“I came as soon as I heard!” Maya said, pulling away and framing his face with her hands and kissing him, before tracing the tracks of unshed tears on his cheeks. “Oh Josh. . . my poor, poor Josh.”

Josh closed his eyes. “Go on, say it. Get it over with.”

Maya looked confused. “Say what? Get what over with?”

 _“I’m sorry for your loss,”_ Josh answered. “You’ll be the first to say it but you most certainly won’t be the last.”

“I am sorry they’re gone but I wasn’t going to say it,” Maya replied. “I was just going to say that I love you. I’m going to be here for you the whole time. Whatever you need, whenever you need it. Even if it’s a shoulder to cry on and it’s too early to be awake.”

Josh took a deep breath through his nose and out his mouth. “I love you too.”

She kissed him again and the tenderness almost caused Josh to break down right then and there, but he kept it together. He couldn’t cry, not when everything didn’t seem real.

“We can do this together,” Maya promised, sliding her hands into his. “Come on, let’s go inside. It’s freezing and they’re all waiting for you.”

“I-I can’t. . . not right now. I need some time to gather my thoughts. . . . to think. . . I can’t be with everybody yet,” Josh answered. “You go up. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

Maya looked at him, concern in her beautiful blue eyes and then she nodded. “Okay. I’ll see you up there. Just. . . come soon. . . please. You shouldn’t be alone right now.”

All Josh wanted was to be alone. He didn’t want to face funeral plans and all the memories. But he couldn’t run away either, he was a Matthews. They didn’t run from their problems, they faced them head on and hand-in-hand and with lots of conversation about God and the Universe.

All of which he believed in, he really did. But he couldn’t handle it, not right now in wake of a tragedy. He looked at an approaching taxicab longingly and then took the concrete steps to be the dutiful brother and son.

He could always run away later.

 

**TBC. . .**

 

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. So now you know the tragic circumstances that I mentioned in the last chapter. But what makes Josh leave? I guess you’ll just have to stick around and find out! Next chapter we’re back to the present day. . . the present day where Josh is living like a hermit and Maya is engaged to somebody else. 
> 
> I’m going away on Sunday but I will be back next Saturday with an update, I promise. In the meantime, tell me what you thought about this chapter! Please!
> 
> Until Next Time!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

“You seem lost this morning,” Josh’s shift supervisor, Freedom Barnes, commented as she swung her thick, silvery white braid around her left shoulder. Her Maine accent was still jarring to his ears after five years “What’s on your mind? Do you got girl troubles?”

“Two of them,” Josh mumbled as he flipped the switch for the coffee pot on.

Freedom’s eyebrows shot up. “Two of ‘em? Don’t tell me. . . girlfriend number two got pregnant and girlfriend number one found out about it?”

 _“What!?”_ Josh said. “No! It’s _nothing_ like that! Since when have you seen me date?”

Freedom’s turquoise bracelets clinked together as she turned on some music. “I suppose you’re not the type to have a girl on the side never mind a regular girlfriend. You’re so tangled up in blue, have been ever since you showed up here hung over and lookin’ for a job. So, tell old Freedom what’s goin’ on. What troubles are you havin’ with ‘em?”

Josh waited for a cursory joke about how they must be mad because he wouldn’t date him and did they think he was gay. But there was no sarcastic or witty remark from the older woman. She just folded her hands, a silver ring on every finger.

Josh sighed. _The Hot Chocolate Sparrow_ was starting to be filled with Joni Mitchell songs and the rich smell of coffee. Their first customer would be there any minute.

“My niece and ex-girlfriend showed up early this morning,” he answered.

“I ain’t seein’ how that’s a problem, Matthews.”

“My ex is getting married in a week! You don’t think there’s anything suspicious about that!? We haven’t spoken or seen each other in about four years and suddenly the week before she’s going to get married she shows up here!?”

“Kismet,” Freedom said sagely. “Nobody stands a chance against it.”

“Kismet!” Josh scoffed. “Don’t talk to _me_ about fate and destiny! They are cruel and unforgiving.”

“And yet they are a part of your life. Funny how that works!” Freedom replied. “So, this ex-girlfriend. . . do you still love her?”

 _“No!”_ Josh answered too quickly and too empathetically. “Not like I used to. She’s a part of my past.”

“Ah yes. The mysterious past that you are so desperately trying to escape!” Freedom said. “Did you kill a man in Reno just to watch him die?”

“It was nothing like that,” Josh answered.

“One of these days I’m going to find out the story,” Freedom warned him as she pulled on her best smile for their first customer of the day, a former Wall Street broker who had moved to Wellfleet when his wife of 30 years had died from cancer. “Hello Neil! You want your usual today?”

“Of course Free. Do you not know me at all?” Neil flirted right back, he looked at Josh. “What’s going on with you today? You look even more down in the mouth than usual.”

“His ex-girlfriend showed up early this mornin’,” Freedom answered.

“She won’t be here long. She’s sleeping off her bachelorette party and then they’ll be headed back to New York.”

“Don’t act like you’re not happy to see her. I know I would be if I ever got a chance to see my first boyfriend again,” Freedom said, sliding Neil’s large black coffee over to him.

“She’s getting married in 8 days,” Josh reminded Freedom. “She’s probably looking for closure or something.”

“Now why would she be lookin’ for that?” Freedom asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well. . .”

“Well?” Neil pressed, taking a sip of his coffee.

“Well. . . Imayhaveleftherwithoutsayinganything,” Josh said all at once.

“What was that?” Freedom asked.

“I may have left her without saying anything,” Josh repeated.

“Did she break your heart?” Neil asked as he took his customary egg and ham sandwich from Freedom.

“No. No it was nothing like that. Maya has always been. . . she’s always been wonderful ever since the first day I met her,” Josh sighed and drummed his fingers on the counter. “This. . . this was all on me.”

“All on you how?” Neil asked, squirting ketchup on his sandwich.

“It’s a long story.”

“One that I can’t get out of him no matter how hard I try,” Freedom said as the rest of their regulars started to trickle into the cafe in pairs and trios. “I know you have to go Neil but don’t forget about my birthday party tonight. Bring presents! And Josh, feel free to bring your niece and your girlfriend.”

“She’s not my girlfriend and they’re leaving this afternoon,” Josh replied.

He started to make the same coffee drinks he did every morning. Two white chocolate mochas for the twins who ran a boutique with Hollywood fashions. A black iced coffee for the indie singer who played cover songs for tips. It took his mind off Maya for a second. Her being back in his life was making him think about things he hadn’t thought about in years.

Like the engagement ring in the back of his sock drawer.

Or how he had left her in the worst cowardly way possible. He would never talk about it. Maya would leave and he would go back to pretending none of it had ever happened.

He left after the lunch rush even though it was working overtime. He had done it on purpose. He wanted to avoid Maya at all costs. He couldn’t handle teary needs for closure or long discussions about what had gone wrong.

It would all end in _it’s not me, it’s you_ and nobody would be happy.

But of course his plans backfired.

Why would the universe be kind to him?

**.**

“Broken down!? What do you mean _broken down_!?” Josh repeated, looking at his niece like she was speaking Greek.

“I mean it won’t _start_!” Riley explained. “And before you ask me if I checked x or y, the answer is _yes_. I checked everything. We have to leave this one to the professionals. I’m sorry Uncle Josh.”

“It’s fine,” Josh lied.

“You won’t be saying that when you hear how long it’s going to take to get the part,” Riley mumbled.

“How long!?” Josh asked, his voice raising an octave.

Maya winced beside him, her eyes shielded from the sun by his old Ray-Bans because she had a pounding headache.

“Well. . . he isn’t sure how long it’ll take to get the part,” Riley said hastily. “But Maya and I will stay out of your way for the most part. We just need you to take us to get some clothes. Ours are all back in New York and we weren’t planning on staying longer than overnight.”

Josh sighed.

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to Josh,” Maya told him as she pushed her hair away from her face and crossed her arms like she was protecting herself from what he would say to them next. “We could figure out a way to do it by ourselves. Or we could just call Zach to come and pick us up.”

Josh’s stomach twisted at the thought of having to meet Maya’s fiancé. It was something he _didn’t_ want to do, not in a million years. Not if they were the last three people on the face of the earth and their survival depended on them getting along.

“Zach and his groomsmen went away for his bachelor party,” Riley reminded her. “Remember? He won’t be back in New York until Wednesday.”

Maya pushed Josh’s sunglasses up higher on the bridge of her nose. “Right. I forgot.”

Josh hoped his sigh of relief wasn’t audible.

“I’ll take you girls to get some clothes,” he said. “I need to pick up a birthday gift for a friend anyways. She’s having a party tonight.”

“A girlfriend?” Maya asked.

“No. Not that it should matter to you either way.”

Riley laughed nervously. “Can’t we all be friends?”

“Oh, it really doesn’t,” Maya answered, ignoring Riley’s request as she lifted Josh’s sunglasses so she could look him directly in the eyes. “You don’t belong to me. You haven’t since that night you left my dorm room. Isn’t that right?”

“Come on guys!” Riley pleaded. “We have to spend the week together. Don’t make it awkward by arguing!”

“Be quiet Riley!” Josh and Maya answered together, fixing her with a look.

“I’m going to be in the house!” Riley said hastily. “Come and get me when you’re ready to run errands. Okay? Okay!”

Her uncle and best friend didn’t even acknowledge her disappearance. They looked at each other, the battle lines drawn even though neither of them knew it.

“Why are you here Maya?” Josh asked, his voice was surprisingly steady, not betraying his emotions. It was like he was right where he had started 5 years earlier. “Are you here to rub your happiness in my face?”

Maya laughed. “I think I just had a little bit too much Tequila last night.”

Josh raised an eyebrow and studied her for the lie. “Tequila. Really, Maya?”

“Well, maybe it just gave me the courage to come.”

“ _Why_ did you come!?”Josh demanded, stepping closer to her.

She wasn’t frightened by his anger but she pushed him away when he had invaded her personal space. “I don’t know, I’m getting married in a week and maybe I wanted to see you again. . . one last time. I’ve missed you so much, Josh.”

“Even with your new boyfriend?” Josh asked, eyeing her skeptically.

“Yes! _Even_ with Zach!” Maya replied. “Do you find that so hard to believe? You’re the one who left _me_ without saying anything! I waited and waited for you to come back and you never did!”

“I was going through some stuff!” Josh retorted.

Maya looked at him, taking in his beach bum appearance and tried not to roll her eyes. “You are obviously _still_ going through some stuff!”

“You wouldn’t understand!”

“I wouldn’t understand! All I did was try and understand, to be there for you! To make it all better!” Maya said trying to keep her voice lowered as she paced back and forth. “Your heart was broken and I desperately wanted to mend it!”

Families of tourists were riding bikes and she didn’t want to make a scene. But it was too late, she was sure the whole street had heard them at this point.

“Like you knew what I was going through!” Josh snapped, jerking his hand through his hair and turning away from her, seemingly not caring who heard them.

“Shut up! Just _shut up_!” Maya replied, her cheeks flushing pink. “I don’t _know_ what it’s like to lose a parent!? Okay, so maybe neither of my parents has died but my dad walked out on me! I lost the most important man in a girl’s life. At least your father _wanted_ you Josh! But you’re right. I don’t know what it’s like to lose a parent.”

Josh felt deflated like a balloon that was days old, all the fight gone from him. “Maya. . . I.  . I’m. . . I have no excuses. I realize. . . I am behaving badly but everything’s been so complicated. And I don’t know how to. . . uncomplicate it.”

Maya shook her head, the tightness in her chest loosening. “I know. I know you don’t. But none of the complications mattered to me. I love. . . _loved_ you. All I wanted to do was be there for you.”

“Maya, I wasn’t thinking straight. Besides, even if I was, I would have known better than to ask you to pick up your life in New York to come with me. I never would have. You were a student, your friends and family was there. I was a mess.”

Maya sighed shakily and grabbed him by the shoulders. “You did too! You were a student. You had friends and a family there, people who love you . . And you had _me_. I could have finished my art major _anywhere_! All you had to do was ask and I would have gone with you. No questions asked!”

“Maya. . . I _am_ sorry I left you the way I did. You don’t know how sorry I am. I owed you more than that. You were there for me and I treated you so poorly. But you’d done so much for me already.”

“I’d have done more if you asked.”

“I know. I still think about our last night all the time,” Josh confessed.

Maya pulled her hair back from face like she was going to put it up in a ponytail and then let it fall like a curtain in front of her face. “Do you hate me?”

Josh approached her cautiously and reached out his hand to lift her chin with two of his fingers. “Hate you? No. I could _never_ hate you. Do you hate me?”

“Do you really think I’ve spent half a decade hating you? I’ve prayed for you and worried over you and thought about you every single day. But I’ve never hated you, not for a second.”

“I’m glad,” Josh said, hesitating for a second before reaching out for her and taking her in his arms, she didn’t hesitate from hugging him in return, he took a deep breath. “I really am I sorry.”

Maya sighed and squeezed him a little tighter. “I know.”

“If I ask for your forgiveness, would you forgive me?”

Maya closed her eyes. “Yes I would.”

**TBC. . .**

 

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, the night in question will be revealed. Be warned, it isn’t racy! And yes, there’s been closure and forgiveness but their story is far from over. Stuff happens! Lots and lots of stuff. Stay tuned and in the meantime, please tell me what you thought!
> 
> I will be back soon!
> 
> Until Next Time!


	4. Chapter 4

**.**

**Chapter 4**

**_5 years earlier_ **

“You are planning on going to the funeral, right?” Maya asked as she came into Josh’s dorm room.

“Yes,” Josh answered. “I know I haven’t been around a lot lately but I wouldn’t blow off my own dad and mom’s funeral.”

“You’re running late,” Maya told him gently as she pulled the blinds up and turned around to find him sitting on his bed with his white dress shirt unbuttoned and his tie in his hand. “Josh! You’re not even dressed yet!”

“I’m working on it!” Josh retorted.

“You don’t have to snap at me,” Maya replied. “Just. . . just finish as fast as you can. Okay?”

“Just stop worrying about me, Maya. I can take care of myself,” Josh grumbled as he buttoned his buttons haphazardly.

“Clearly,” Maya said, going over and helping him. “Are you completely sober? No drugs or alcohol in your system?”

“Why would you even ask me something like _that_!? Don’t you know me _at all_!?”

“I was just making sure. . .”

“You watch too much television,” Josh answered, brushing her hand away when she tried to help him with his tie.

Maya didn’t dignify his reply with a response. Instead she found his black dress shoes and helped him into them despite his protests. Minutes later, they were in a taxi and Josh was staring out the window like a despondent child.

When Maya reached out for him, he pulled away.

He didn’t want her comfort or her pity. He just wanted to be left alone to mourn in peace.

**.**

The funeral passed by in a blur, Josh didn’t even realize they had made it back to his dad and mom’s house until he had a plate of food from well wishers. Maya sat beside him, fidgeting with her skirt and glancing at him every few seconds.

Finally, he couldn’t take being with people anymore. If he heard _“sorry for your loss”_ or _“your parents were good people”_ one more time, he thought he’d lose it for sure. He got up and walked out of the living room with anything, ignoring Maya’s look of concern.

He didn’t even notice she was following him.

“Josh, don’t go!” She called. “But if you have to go then I’ll go with you! Please. . . _please_ don’t shut me out! Not now!”

“I appreciate your concern but I just want to be left alone! Don’t you understand that!?” Josh snapped, holding out a hand so she couldn’t touch him.

Maya reached out for him anyways, caught his hand. “I will stand by you through _anything_ Josh because I love you!”

“That’s _too_ bad!” Josh spat, pushing her away and getting into his car, he could literally hear the poison dripping from his tone and as soon as he had spoken the uncharacteristic words, he wished he could pull them back in and swallow them whole.

He looked in the rearview mirror and saw Maya hastily wiping away tears from her eyes.

**.**

His cell phone rang when he was on the outskirts of New York City. Josh glanced at the caller ID even though he knew who would be on the other hand and then pulled off into a rest stop.

“What do you want Cory?” he asked wearily.

“You left without saying goodbye,” Cory answered, no hint of reprimand in his tone. “Maya was crying and I have a feeling it didn’t have anything to do with dad and mom.”

“I—”

“No!” Cory interjected. “Don’t let dad and mom’s death change you! Be the young man that they raised you to be. If you push away the people who love you the most, I’m afraid you’re going to wake up all alone one day and you’ll have no one to blame but yourself. Don’t do it Josh.”

Josh released a deep breath. “Don’t do what?”

“Whatever it is you’re planning.”

“I’m-I’m not planning anything!” Josh lied. “Everything will be okay, Cory.”

“ _I_ know that! I’m just afraid you don’t. You can say it but it doesn’t mean you believe it. Don’t do anything irrational, Josh.”

“I won’t!” Josh insisted. “I’ll talk to you later, okay? I love you.”

“I love you too,” Cory answered. “See you soon.”

Josh didn’t say anything, he hung up on his brother instead and changed the direction of where he was going.

**.**

It was almost midnight when he heard the door unlock. Maya came in with her black pumps in one hand and her suitcase in another. Her hair was down from the careful bun she had styled it in earlier and she looked tired.

“Josh! What are you doing here?” she asked when she noticed him sitting on her bed.

He looked at her but he was too emotional to answer, he didn’t even remember breaking down. But he could feel the tears streaming down his cheeks. She must have noticed too because the next thing he knew, she had dropped her shoes and suitcase and came over to him.

She sat down beside him and took him into her arms, holding onto him tightly. He waited a beat and then put his hand on her arm and clutching it before moving it to take her hand. They rocked back and forth while they cried together.

After a while, she eased him down on her bed, it was small so they had to spoon so one of them wouldn’t fall off. Eventually sleep claimed him, as he drifted off, he was aware of the way she was watching over him. His stomach twisted slightly as he realized he couldn’t stay.

He wasn’t the person who had lay in the same bed next to her six months earlier and planned for their future together.

He probably would never be again.

**.**

He woke up a couple of hours later. Maya was sleeping peacefully beside him. He slipped out of bed quietly so he wouldn’t wake her up and went through her desk to find a slip of paper. He wasn’t going to leave without some sort of goodbye.

He wrote the note quickly and folded it over once before putting it somewhere she would be sure to see it. He brushed his lips across her temple and then silently fled the dorm room.

**TBC. . .**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I confess, I borrowed some inspiration from 2x12 of Gossip Girl (Oh Bart Where Art Thou?), if you’ve seen it then you know what scene and episode I’m talking about. The angst is far from over, I am sorry to say. Angst is definitely not my strong suit but if you are enjoying what I’m writing please leave a review.  
> I’ll be back with more soon!


	5. Chapter 5

 

**.**

**Chapter 5**

“So, your niece and your ex wound up staying after all,” Freedom said, coming up to Josh with her watered down gin and tonic in hand, the ice clinked around in her glass as she took a sip. “Riley kind of looks like you, she’s a pretty little thing. She was telling me that she’s married. Childhood sweetheart.”

“Well, we can’t all have a happy ending,” Josh answered.

Freedom eyed him. “Well, she’s here isn’t she? It’s the week before her wedding and she’s _here_ with _you_.”

Josh looked at Maya.  She was sipping a Shirley Temple and chatting with Neil, her smile lighting up the whole entire pier that Freedom had rented for the evening.

“She was drunk. Maybe if she hadn’t had too much to drink, she wouldn’t be here right now.”

Freedom shook her head. “Mmmmh, no. I think she’s right where she’s supposed to be.  Fate would have brought you together this week whether she had been drunk or not.”

“I told you. . . I don’t believe in fate,” Josh reminded her quietly. “Not anymore.”

“I’m sure you will when this whole thing is over,” Freedom said. “I’ve gotta make the rounds. I’ll talk to you later, sweetie.”

“Dance with me!” Maya said, coming out of nowhere and grasping his hand.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Josh answered, trying to resist her pull.

But it only took a few seconds and he was on the dance floor with her. It was easy to fall back into their old rhythm. They had been dancing together for years.

_One, two, three, four._

Josh watched their feet to see if he still knew the swing dance pattern from the classes they’d taken when they were a couple. He knew if he looked her in the eyes, he’d be a goner.

He was already so close with her shoulder pressing into his and how she was whispering the words in his ear. It was her way to keep time to the music. The lyrics weren’t lost on him though and his stomach twisted painfully.

_“The only thing I feel is pain caused by absence of you—”_

“Do you swing dance with your fiancé?” Josh asked whirling her out and pulling her in a little more roughly than he had intended to.

“ _What!?_ Um, no! Zach isn’t much for dancing,” Maya answered, cocking her head and listening to the song to pick up because he’d made her lose her place. _“I want you by my side so that I never feel alone again. I want you, we can bring it on the floor—”_

“Do you love him?” Josh asked, flinging her out again and letting go of her hand.

Maya twirled around a few times before he caught her in his arms and continued to dance with her.

“I wouldn’t be marrying him if I didn’t,” Maya answered. “I don’t love him in the way I loved you. You were my first and great love. That doesn’t just go away, you know.”

“I know,” Josh said as they did the cuddle, he caught her scent and shuddered involuntarily. She still smelled like she did on their last night together, like raspberries and jasmine.

It was the perfume he had purchased for her the week their vacation had been canceled due to bad weather. He had gone out and purchased every beach scent he could find at Bath & Body because she had been terribly disappointed.

He had been so lost in thought. He hadn’t realized the song had ended. He dipped her belatedly and set her back on her feet.

“You’re still a great dancer,” Maya said.

They stood there under the moonlight, a beat pulsing in their ears and thrumming in their hearts and Josh searched her eyes for a sign that she still loved him. He looked away quickly, stunned at how well he could still read her.

It was like he still had the key to her soul.

This time Maya was the one who looked away hastily. The tension between them hadn’t been this palpable since their first date and he couldn’t decide if he was going to kiss her or not.

For a second, Josh allowed himself to wonder what life with her would have looked like if he hadn’t left. But it only made him sad, thinking about the future he had lost. Cory had been right, all those nights ago.

“Josh. . .” Maya whispered.

“Don’t say anything,” Josh said as he took her into his arms and started to dance with her again. “Let’s just have tonight.”

**.**

“You don’t look homeless,” Maya said watching him as he flicked a comb through his damp, shoulder length hair out.

“Well, I’m not,” Josh answered.

“You smell like coffee and donuts too.”

“I do work in a coffee and donut shop,” Josh replied but he smiled at her in the mirror as he pulled his hair away from his face and into a bun.

“It’s strange being here, seeing you like _this_. . .” Maya told him. “But seeing you again, it’s like we were never apart. It’s like—”

“Coming home,” Josh finished for her instinctively.

Maya nodded. “Yeah. It’s almost like we’ve never been apart.”

“Except we have been,” Josh answered, putting his comb down and turning around to look at her straight in the face.

“You don’t have to remind me. I know,” Maya said softly.

Josh released a deep breath and was about to go to her when Riley came and parked herself beside Maya.

“Are you two still fighting?” She asked concern etched in her pretty features.

“Just talking,” Josh assured her. “It’s time for me to go to bed. I’m opening again in the morning. You two can stay up if you’d like.”

“Okay. Goodnight,” Riley said, giving him a quick hug.

“Goodnight Riles, Maya.”

**.**

Knowing Maya was a room away from his made it difficult for him to sleep. Remembering the way she had felt in his arms while they had danced under the stars made it even harder for him to drift away. She was everything he had given up.

She was everything he had lost, everything he had given up.

Cory had been right, like always.

But there was no going back.

It was too late.

**TBC. . .**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was brought to you by sleepless mornings, indie songs, my going swing dancing on Wednesday nights, my writer friends – who insisted I tell you Josh smells good and looks clean – and lots of Green Gables Fables fangirling. And when I say a lot, I mean you don’t even want to know! I was fangirling so hard. This chapter almost didn’t get written!
> 
> WATCH IT! FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY! I bet you can finish it before the GMW hiatus is over.  
> Whoops! There I go again. Anyways, fangirling aside, I hope you will tell me what you thought. I know I say it often. . . but it’s nice to know what people think. 
> 
> Until Next Time!
> 
> P.S  
> The song Maya and Josh danced to was “Stolen Dance” by Milky Chance.


	6. Chapter 6

**.**

**Chapter 7**

**_Five years earlier_ **

He drove away from New York and didn’t look behind him once, just in case he turned into a pillar of salt or felt that certain _pull_ to Maya. He didn’t want anything to do with his old life. His old life would never be the same again. He didn’t want to rebuild from the ashes though.

He was a too old orphan boy.

It was easy to forget everybody he was leaving behind was suffering from the same loss he was. It made it easier to run if he didn’t think about his siblings losing their parents, about Shawn losing his surrogate parents and about Auggie and Riley losing their grandparents. If it was just _him_ , he could be selfish and not think about how it affected anybody else.

He didn’t have to care.

He drove until he ran out of gas. The only signs he paid attention to were the signs for the speed limits. So, he didn’t know where he was when he stopped to fill up for gas, but he could hear the sound of gulls and smell ocean mixed with fried seafood and he vaguely remembered crossing a bridge when he was driving.

It was late, so he decided to fill his tank and get a motel room for the night. After he had paid for his gas, he decided to become a cliché and got some bottom shelf whiskey from the liquor section. He didn’t want to become an alcoholic, but he seriously wanted _something_ that would numb the pain that was quickly becoming an ache that enveloped his whole entire body and not just his heart.

He drove to the beach as an afterthought. It was quiet there, save from the waves crashing up against the shore. He drank whiskey straight from the bottle and it burned his throat and warmed him. A few gulps later, his stomach hurt from drinking too much too fast and he was no number than he had been before.

Everything actually felt more magnified. He wasn’t used to drinking. It was something his family had reserved for special occasions, like birthdays and Christmas. He was usually the “designated driver” at college parties, the kind of person who saw his friends back to their dorms and made sure they didn’t wake up choking on their own vomit.

Josh corked the bottle and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. The beach was spinning ‘round and ‘round. For a second, he wondered if he maybe couldn’t handle his liquor before drifting off into oblivion.

He dreamed of his parents and of Maya and of a life they wouldn’t ever have together. Of Christmases that wouldn’t be celebrated in his childhood home, of wedding vows that would never be spoken. Of grandchildren that would never be conceived. His sleep was restless and he woke up with a pounding headache and to somebody pouring ice cold water all over his face.

“Sleepin’ on the beach isn’t the best idea, son!”

Josh blinked against the sunrise and shielded his head. “Wh-who are you?”

“Well, I ain’t your fairy godmother! C’mon, get up! What’s a nice young thing like you doin’ drunk on a beach?”

“I’m not drunk!” Josh protested as he sat up quickly. “Ooof. Maybe I’m a little hungover though. How much did I drink?”

The white haired woman in a white, embroidered pleasant blouse smirked. “You think? You drank enough to knock out the devil himself! C’mon, be careful now, you don’t want to get sick. There’s kids here. It wouldn’t be right for them to see that.”

Josh nodded and swallowed hard. His mouth tasted nasty and he didn’t think he’d make it very far without throwing up.

“I think we need to get to know each other. I’m Freedom Barnes. It’s a pleasure to meet you. You can tell me your name and story later on. Right now we’re going to get you sobered up.”

Josh nodded, vaguely realizing maybe it wasn’t the best idea to go with somebody he didn’t know. But he was too tired and too hung over to protest. And if she did murder him, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

**.**

He woke up hours later, his stomach felt like it was twisted in knots and his head was still aching. But he was alive, so maybe Freedom wasn’t a serial killer. He could barely lift his head off the pillow though, so maybe he _was_ dying.

“You really aren’t doing well,” Freedom said, coming into the bedroom and plumping his pillows. “So, I checked your driver’s license. You’re a long way from home, Joshua Gabriel Matthews.”

“I’m not going back,” Josh said. “I have nothing to go back to.”

“I’m not going to argue with you,” Freedom answered. “But if you insist on stayin’, I’m layin’ down a few ground rules. No more drinkin’ to get drunk. I don’t know what happened with you but getting’ drunk isn’t the answer. It doesn’t help anythin’!”

“You can’t tell me what to do!” Josh protested. “You’re not my mother! And I’m an adult.”

“Then start actin’ like one! Second, you’re not free loading. You’re goin’ to have to get a job and a house of your own. I’ll be your friend and you can stay with me until you find a place to live.”

“You have no idea who I am.”

“Mmmh,” Freedom hummed. “No. But we’re going to get to know each other very well. You can call your family and tell them where you are. It’s only right.”

Josh nodded. He knew he needed to but he didn’t know how he would do it. All he knew was Cory would be terribly disappointed in him.

**TBC. . .**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi. Okay. So, this is short and I have no idea what I’m doing here. I’ve never been drunk before. . . anyways, let me know what you think. There are good things to come! I promise. Drop a review or press the kudos button if you are so swayed. 
> 
> I am fangirling like crazy over here. For the love of all things holy, watch Green Gables Fables. Okay, I’m done here.  
> Until Next Time!


	7. Chapter 7

**.**

**Chapter 7**

“You should cut your hair,” Maya said as she cooked dinner because Freedom had taken Riley to pick up the truck from the mechanic.

“I don’t think so.”

“Why?” Maya asked. “Are you afraid one of the girls here will realize how handsome you are and attach themselves to you for the rest of their lives?”

“I like being alone.”

Maya frowned. “I don’t believe you. Nobody likes being alone.”

“Yeah. Well, nobody’s _you_ ,” Josh answered, opening a beer and raising it to her. “I drink to your health, good lady.”

Maya covered the pot of water she had put on the stove and shook her head, batting her eyelashes at him. “Come on Josh. Do it as a wedding present for me.”

Josh took a sip straight from the bottle and shook his head. “Nope.”

“Well then, let _me_ do it for you!” Maya pleaded. _“Please.”_

Josh realized he was still powerless when it came to her. Time and distance had done _nothing_ except maybe made him love her more, which seemed impossible, because he had already loved her more than he could ever fathom when they had been together.

“Why?” Josh asked.

“I told you why,” Maya answered, rinsing her hands off and flicking water at him. “You’re never going to get a girlfriend with a beard and a man bun. I don’t care how well you pull it off.”

“I told you, I don’t want a girlfriend.”

Maya came and took the bottle of Samuel Adam’s out of his hand. “Well then, do it so I can remember you the way you used to be when we first fell in love,” she said quietly.

“We can’t go back,” Josh told her quietly.

“No. I know. We can only move forward,” Maya said, reaching out and rubbing his cheek.

“Do it,” Josh replied. “I can always grow it out again after you leave.”

Maya beamed and hurried off to find scissors and a razor before he could change his mind.

She invaded his album collection and put on some music then got started on his hair, humming along with James Bay as she pulled out his ponytail. Her fingers on the nape of his neck caused his whole body to erupt in tingles.

“You’re going to look _so_ good,” Maya mused as she trimmed away the length.

“Do you know what you’re doing?” Josh asked, ignoring the way he wanted to take her into his arms and kiss her senseless.

“Zach has me cut his hair all the time,” Maya answered. “He refuses to pay to get his haircut so he had me learn how to do it.”

“Oh.”

“He’s not a bad sort,” Maya said, carefully snipping around his ears. “He’s just not. . .”

“Just not. . . _what?_ ” Josh pressed even though he had an inkling of what she was going to say next. He had always been able to read her, even when they had been just friends.

“Never mind,” Maya answered. “Why didn’t you come to Lucas and Riley’s wedding? I’ve always wondered and Riley never said.”

“I couldn’t face you,” Josh replied because it was a weekend for honesty and clearing the air between them. “Not after the way I had left things, not after the way I had left you. It wasn’t one of those teenage CW dramas where the girl would take the boy back after he had done something stupid or royally screwed up.”

“You watch teenage CW dramas?” Maya teased.

“No. But you and Riley talked about them often enough when we were dating,” Josh said. “I never understood why she always took him back after he did all those nasty things to her.”

“Because she loved him despite everything he put her through,” Maya told him. “And you didn’t do half the things he did. Besides, this is real life. Not a television show.”

“Yeah and you never get a happy ending in real life.”

“But you get a happy middle,” Maya answered. “And your parents did get a happy ending. When it was their time to go, they went together. Neither of them had to be alone for the next twenty years or fall in love all over again.”

“Falling in love again. . .”

“Isn’t as easy as you would think it would be!” Maya insisted. “Take it from me, okay? There are some days I’ve woken up and wished I could see you again. . . even if it was just one more time. But I don’t really want it to be one more time I want it to be forever. It makes me feel guilty because if I really loved Zach, then I wouldn’t be thinking about you.”

“But you’re allowed to move on.”

“I don’t think we’re the sort of people who were made to move on,” Maya murmured.

“What?” Josh asked even though he had heard her.

 _“Nothing!”_ Maya answered quickly.

“Okay,” Josh said, letting her off the hook.

They both fell into a familiar, comfortable kind of silence that Josh realized he had missed. The kind he had only ever shared with her.

Twenty minutes later, she was combing out his hair. “There! Much better!” she proclaimed, spinning him around so she could get a better look at him. “Now for the beard!”

“Do you know what you’re doing?”

“Pinterest is going to be a _great_ help!” Maya told him as she pulled up the app on her phone and punched _how to shave beards_ into the search engine. She got another chair and sat down, her legs brushing against his as she did.

They both tensed up at the contact but it didn’t stop Maya from lathering his face up with shaving cream and coming at him with a razor.

“Ouch!” Josh said when she got to his top lip.

“Ooops! Sorry!” Maya answered, kissing her pointer finger and pressing it on the area she had nicked. “This is harder than shaving my legs. . . well, except maybe for my knees.”

Josh smirked. “Nobody asked you to give me a shave.”

“Ha! Well, it’s too late to turn back now!” Maya said. “You don’t want to go around with one part of your face shaved and the other part hairy. Now do you?”

“No.”

“I didn’t think so,” Maya replied, smiling at him. “Now, shhh! Let me finish! It’ll be worth it when I’m done. Okay?”

“Fine,” Josh complied, closing his mouth and his eyes.

Maya wiped the leftover shaving cream away a few minutes later. “There! You’re _back_!”

“I was still me,” Josh told her.

Maya shook her head. “No. You really weren’t,” she answered looking at him sadly.

Josh acted on instinct and took her in his arms. His mouth crashed into her’s on its own accord. She was kissing him back. He stood up and took her with him, clutching her like his life depended on it. It had been so long since the last time he had kissed her except he didn’t forget the curve of her lips or the way her hair felt under his fingertips.

He couldn’t believe he had ever given her up.

“I love you,” he murmured in her ear before kissing her again.

Maya choked and buried her face in shoulder before turning her face towards him and letting him capture her lips with his.

“Maya! Josh! The truck is finished!” Riley said breezing into the kitchen. “Oh my. . . what are you two doing!?”

“Riley!” Maya pushed Josh away. “We were. . . I got Josh to shave and cut his hair,” she finished lamely.

Riley nodded. “You look nice Josh. Is dinner ready yet? I’m starving!”

“I’ll order pizza,” Josh said. “We kind of forgot to finish dinner with everything going on.”

“Maya?” Riley turned to look at her.

“We have to go,” Maya told her. “As soon as Josh is in bed, we have to go.”

“Without saying anything to Josh?” Riley asked.

“I can’t. . . I can’t say goodbye,” Maya replied.

Riley reached out and squeezed her friend’s hands and nodded. “We’ll go then. No questions asked. It’ll be okay.”

“Thank you,” Maya said, hugging her.

**.**

He watched them leave but he didn’t try to stop them or to say goodbye. It felt like it was payback for the time he had left _her_ in the middle of the night. He didn’t deserve long, weepy goodbyes.

He hadn’t even deserved to see her ever again. He considered the last few days a gift. He had never imagined he would get a chance to dance with her again or feel her fingertips on his skin or her lips on his mouth.

Sure she hadn’t decided to stay with him - and he didn’t think she ever would have even if he had asked her to - but she had wanted to see him during the last few days as an unmarried woman and that had to mean _something_.

_Get in your car. Go after her. . . ask her to stay. She still loves you, she said as much._

Josh rubbed his freshly shaved face and sighed in frustration at his subconscious. It wasn’t that simple. He had complicated everything the night he had left five years earlier.

He knew there was no getting it back. 

It was too late.

 

**TBC. . .**

 

**.**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do I still have your attention? I hope so because we are getting so close to the happy ending. Did you expect anything less from me? If you expected I’d give you an angsty ending, you don’t know me very well.
> 
> Stay tuned for more. I’ll be back soon, I promise.


	8. Chapter 8

. 

**Chapter 8**

“You went and spent the weekend with your ex-boyfriend!?” Zach asked incredulously.

“Riley was there!” Maya protested.

“But you love him.” It was a statement, not a question.

Maya sighed. “Zach!”

Zach held his hand up to stop her from saying anything else and shook his head. “No! It’s like that Nicholas Sparks’s movie. The one with the house and the swans and the sex. The one where the fiancé loses. He wrote her every day for a year and it wasn’t over!”

 _“The Notebook!?”_ Maya said. “Zach, let me assure you there wasn’t any sex or swans or letters! I went to see him to get closure!”

Zach stood up and put his hands in his pockets. “And did you get what you were looking for? Did you get closure?” he asked.

Maya released a deep breath and tucked her hair behind her ears. “Yes.”

“Really?” Zach asked, frowning at her. “Because you’re not acting like somebody who got closure. You’re more distant than ever.”

“Nothing happened!” Maya tried to tell him. “Nothing of consequence anyways. . . well, okay. Something _did_ happen. But it was nothing!”

“What happened Maya?” Zach asked wearily, rubbing his hand across his face.

Maya blew out a deep breath and folded her hands. “We kissed.”

_“Maya!”_

“It was because I was cutting his hair and there was a lot of unresolved stuff between us. . .”

“Wait! You were cutting his hair!” Zach looked at her in shock. _“Why!?”_

“Because he looked like a hobo!” Maya answered. “Okay? It wasn’t like I was trying to be intimate. It just happened.”

“Cutting hair is intimate,” Zach informed her, looking at her crossly.

“It is _not_!” Maya objected, glaring at him. “People go and get their haircut at salons and barber shops every single day without it being intimate. You’re letting your imagination run away with you.”

“But you don’t love me,” Zach said, sounding deflated. “I kind of always knew.”

“I do love you though,” Maya told him getting up and going over to him. “It’s just not the way you want me to. I thought I _could_ love you that way one day, I wanted to. But. . .”

“You still love _him_ though. The way you talked about him. . . I knew it wasn’t over,” Zach told her. “Even if you never saw him again, you would have spent the rest of your life _hoping_ you would. He’s your person. I so obviously am not. Why else would you have gone to see him days before we got married?”

“This is the end, isn’t it?” Maya asked.

“I would _love_ to say no,” Zach answered. “But you don’t deserve that. I know he left you all those years ago but I kind of feel like that he’s been through enough already. He doesn’t deserve to nurse a broken heart anymore.”

“We would have been good together,” Maya told him as she took her engagement ring off and pressed it into his hand. “We were good together.”

Zach smiled at her sadly. “But it wasn’t enough.”

“Yes it was,” Maya answered. “You _were_ enough for me when we were together, Zach. Don’t ever let a woman determine your sense of worth.  You are worth it and for a while, you made me feel like I was worth it too.”

Zach squeezed her hand. “I hope he wants to be with you.”

“There you go again, Zach. Making me feel like I’m worth it again,” Maya said, offering him a watery smile.

“Well, you _are_ ,” he told her as he dropped her hand and pulled her into a hug. “Go and get him, Maya. I wish you all the happiness in the world.”

“You too,” Maya whispered. “You too.”

**.**

She couldn’t go and see him right away. There was a wedding to cancel and gifts to send back to guests. She had a lot of explaining to do to her friends and family. They all voiced their questions and concerns.

If Josh really loved her then why hadn’t he followed her back to New York and made a proclamation? Wasn’t there a chance she was just setting herself up for heartbreak?  

Maya knew their concerns were valid but she also knew that even if Josh _didn’t_ want her, she could have never settled for a life where she was hoping something would happen. Her greatest supporters through the whole ordeal were Zach and Riley even though her ex-fiancé took a more passive role by delivering presents to the post office and assuring her that they were doing the right thing.

Riley guaranteed her on a daily basis that she was doing the right thing and that the only reason Josh _hadn’t_ followed her to New York was because maybe he thought she still wanted to get married. Or he thought it was some sort of you reap what you sow thing and he was rationalizing that he _deserved_ her leaving him the same way he had left her.

Maya was sure she was right. All she could think about was their last kiss, the way it had felt like coming home. She wasn’t going to spend the rest of her life without him if she could help it.

She’d let him go already, she’d learn from her mistakes and fight for him if he didn’t want her.

A life without the person she loved most in the world didn’t seem like a life at all.

**.**

After a good amount of time had passed, Maya went and picked out a simple silver band at the jewelry store. She got it sized to fit Josh and then packed up her apartment and put most of her things in storage.

She threw things in a suitcase and kissed Riley goodbye.

“Good luck,” Riley whispered as she pressed a paper bag into her hand. “To eat on the road,” she added.

“Thank you,” Maya said, hugging her again.

“Call me when you get there,” Riley ordered.

“I will! I will!” Maya assured her as she got into her car. “I’ve gotta go now if I want to beat traffic. I love you, I’ll be safe. I’ll call you when I get there.”

“Love you too!” Riley said. “Good luck!”

Maya rolled down the window and waved. “Thank you! I’ll see you when I see you! ‘Bye, Riley!”

“Not goodbye! Just see you later!” Riley reminded her.

Maya laughed. “You’ve really got to let me go! I’ll see you later, okay? You nut!”

“See you later!” Riley replied.

Maya put the car into drive and started for what she hoped would be a completely different life.

 

**TBC. . .**

 

**.**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. . . just tell me what you thought. I am hoping you enjoyed it. There’s like two more chapters left, I think. We’ll see. What do you think? Do you think Josh will welcome Maya with open arms or look for other obstacles to keep them apart. Stay tuned! 
> 
> Until Next Time!


	9. Chapter 9

**.**

 

**Chapter 9**

**_5 Years and 6 months Earlier_ **

“We’re going to get married one day,” Josh informed her as they did their best to snuggle up together in his small dorm bed. 

Maya laughed. “Oh!? Says who?"

  
“Says _me_ ,” Josh answered.

“Joshua Matthews, you haven’t even asked me properly!” Maya said, craning her neck up to get a better look at him.

“I’m going to get around to it eventually,” Josh answered, pushing some hair away from her face. “But first I need to finish school and get a job, so I can give you the kind of life that you deserve.”

“Silly boy,” Maya answered, leaning up to press a kiss to his forehead. “All I want is _you_. I don’t need to live in style or anything like that.”

Josh kissed her for that and pulled her closer. “What kind of life do you want then? Aside from a life that includes you and me?”

Maya sighed thoughtfully and closed her eyes. “Summers in Cape Cod, if we can afford them. A dachshund and a Bombay kitten because most people think black cats are bad luck but they’re just misunderstood.”

“An apartment that allows dogs and cats,” Josh noted. “Okay. Is there anything else you would like?”

“Holidays with both of our families,” Maya added. “Maybe an apartment with a view one day when we’re established. Or even a house if you don’t want to stay in the city. I want to cuddle and watch Netflix and for the both of us to take sick days when it rains but not every single time. I want snow days and Christmas decorating and trick-or-treaters. And. . .”

“And?” Josh pressed.

Maya blushed a deep shade of red.  “I want children too but I don’t want to say we’ll have one or two. I don’t want to go crazy and have a dozen kids either. I want to teach them how to dream and to dance and to laugh and to love. But mostly, I want _you_ to be the father of my children. I want a life with you.”

“Well then let’s plan for a life,” Josh said.

**.**

**_Present day_ **

Maya sucked on her Dunkin Donuts iced coffee and fiddled with the radio dial. That night in Josh’s dorm room seemed like a dream, it had happened such a long time ago. She wondered if he thought about it too. If he played it over in his head and dreamed about the _what ifs_ and _could have beens_.

She was done dreaming. She was going to try and make it all a reality, she was going to hold him to all the promises he had made back when their lives were still a fairytale and all was right in the kingdom, before he had become a lost little prince and wandered far away from her.

Her GPS announced she was arriving at her destination. She pulled over and checked her appearance in the rearview mirror. Satisfied that she still looked decent, she continued on her journey, imagining what _this_ reunion would look like and if it would be more joyful than the last one.

She pulled into his driveway and idled the car for a few seconds, trying to collect herself. The combination of her large iced coffee and the unknown made her feel like she was going to fall out of her skin.

Maya closed her eyes and took a deep breath then turned off the car, when she opened the door Josh was there. He pulled her out and looked at her.

“I’m dreaming again,” he said. “I’ve dreamed that you’ve come back a thousand different times and every single time it gets to the good part, I wake up and you’re not with me.”

“It isn’t a dream,” Maya assured him, placing her hands on his cheeks.

Josh rested his forehead against her’s and closed his eyes. “But you’re supposed to be married right now. What are you doing here?”

“I didn’t marry Zach.”

“You left without saying goodbye,” Josh reminded her. “I thought for sure you were going back to him. . . to marry him.”

“No,” Maya answered, shaking her head. “No. Zach is wonderful but he’s wonderful for somebody else. Because the truth of the matter is, I-I couldn’t get you out of my system, Josh. You’ve been the one for me since the first day we met. Even when there was someone else, something always brought me back to you.”

“I haven’t been able to tell,” Josh teased.

Maya swallowed. “It brings me to my next point Josh.

“You had points?”

“Don’t make jokes, this is serious, Joshua Gabriel Matthews! It isn’t every day a girl asks a boy to marry her!”

Josh froze. “You’re proposing?”

Maya nodded and fumbled for the box in the pocket of her skirt. “We had plans, remember? Plans for a life _together_. You were supposed to propose and you never did. But I’m not letting you off the hook _that_ easily. So, Joshua Matthews would you do me the great _honor_ of being my husband?”

Instead of answering her, Josh turned around and started to walk towards the house. Maya’s heart sank and she tried to figure out _what_ she could have done wrong to make him walk away from her like that. She pulled at her dress and tucked her hair behind her ears while she tried to decide if she should go after him or wait to see what happened next.

Right before she could make a decision, Josh had returned. He had something in his hand and a look of determination on his face. Maya’s heart skipped a beat even though she didn’t know what was going on.

“You didn’t answer me,” she said a little breathlessly when he was close enough to hear her. “You could have just said no, you know.”

“You think I was going to say _no_!?” Josh asked incredulously. “Maya, I’ve known ever since that first day we met you were the one for me. Which is totally ridiculous because we were _kids_ and nobody knows when they’re _kids_ , right?”

“Apparently we did,” Maya answered. “I mean Riley and Lucas knew and they weren’t much older when we met. Look at them now.”

“Look at them now,” Josh repeated, smiling at her. “Anyways, I’m trying to do something here, Hart. Just shut up and let me do it. Okay?”

“Okay,” Maya agreed. “Go on! You were saying?”

 _“Anyways,”_ Josh said. “I’ve known since we were kids that you were the one for me. And even though I left you, I haven’t spent a single day imagining what life would look like if you were with me. Once upon a time ago we said we were going to plan for a life. Well, I’d still like to do that.”

Maya’s lips quirked into half a smile. “I was hoping you’d say that,” she whispered.

Josh opened his hand to reveal a stunning diamond ring. “I’ve had this ring for over five years now. It belongs to you. It’s _always_ belonged to you. Would you do me the great honor of wearing it Maya?”

Maya nodded, suddenly speechless, completely overwhelmed with the fact that he had never stopped loving her despite time and distance. Even though she had always known.

He took her hand and slid the ring on her finger and she laughed shakily before kissing him.

“I love you,” she managed to say breathlessly.

Josh closed his eyes and released a deep breath, he reached out for her and she went into his arms willingly. She rested her forehead against his chest and sighed deeply, she had a feeling of perfect contentment.

“I love you too,” he told her, kissing her on the top of her head.

**.**

“I don’t want to wait,” Maya said as they lounged together in his bed, sharing a bowl of ice cream and basking in the glow of their new engagement... “I’ve already done the shopping for the wedding dress thing and the engagement pictures and the parties, I don’t want to do it again. I don’t want to wait. We’ve waited for so long already.”

“I’d like that but we’ll still need to have witnesses there,” Josh told her. “Should we ask Riley and Lucas to come out and stand up with us?”

“I would love it if Riley could be there but if we said _anything_ to them then both of our families would be here in a heartbeat and it would turn into a huge deal. No, we’ll invite them to come for a visit after we’ve already gotten married. It’ll be a surprise.”

“You’re right,” Josh agreed, stealing the last maraschino cherry off the whipped cream... “Do you want to ask Jasmine and Andrew then? No, I want to marry you as soon as possible. Not work around other people’s schedules. I suppose we could ask Freedom and Neil to stand up with us.”

Maya nodded. “I know how much she’s meant to you these last five years. She filled me and Riley in on everything. I think it’s the perfect choice, Josh. Really I do.”

“I’ll call her in the morning,” Josh said. “She’ll get in touch with Neil and set everything in motion. If we’re diligent about it, maybe we can be married at the end of the week.”

Maya sighed dreamily. “By the end of the week, I’m going to be Mrs. Maya Matthews.”

“It sounds good on you,” Josh whispered. “For the first time in years I’m looking forward to the future.”

Maya rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. “Me too,” she whispered back. “Me too.”

 

**TBC. . .**

 

**.**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so there’s maybe 2 more chapters to go before this story finished. Maybe 1 it depends on if I can fit everything into one chapter. Which to be honest, I don’t want to. I don’t want it to feel rushed or anything. But everything is wrapping up soon-ish.
> 
> Next on the agenda is a three-parter based on an idea katdvs has for Ski Lodge. And then in June, I’m posting an actual wedding story. This one got turned into a wedding story completely by accident when I decided I couldn’t kill off Cory and Topanga along with Amy and Alan (yes, this story is a remix just waiting to happen). 
> 
> I hope you will tell me what you thought of this.


	10. Chapter 10

 

**.**

**Chapter 10**

Maya woke up early on the morning she was going to marry Josh. There was hours to go before the ceremony was going to happen but she couldn’t sleep anymore even if she tried. She was too excited. She had been waiting for this day since she had first met Josh all those years ago. She’d given it up after it was apparent he was never coming back to New York and traded it in for something she hoped would be just as good. She pinched herself just to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. That she wouldn’t wake up in her apartment, all set to marry Zach.

She smiled at her stinging skin and pushed the covers aside, she got out of bed and went to the kitchen.

She’d been staying with Freedom while they had been throwing the wedding together, she knew the older woman would already be up with coffee brewing and something to eat with various odds and ends strewn across the table in preparation for the big day.

“Can’t sleep?” Freedom asked without turning around from the coffee pot.

“Not really,” Maya answered.

“You’re excited, I can tell. This whole week you’ve been glowing, it was missing the first time you came here engaged to that other boy.”

“I know,” Maya replied, sitting down at the table and toying with the seashell headband Freedom had constructed for her to wear with her veil. “Sometimes I feel guilty about it, he was a nice boy. He deserved to be with a girl who adored him though and I didn’t. I was settling for something less because I never thought I would see Josh again. But I always loved him. Ever since I was a little girl.”

“You’re one of the lucky ones,” Freedom said as she took the seat next to Maya.

“You’ve never been in love?”

“I fell in love all the time when I was younger,” Freedom answered. “Nobody actually stuck though. I almost got married once but then Nam came and it killed him. Oh, he made it out alive but the trauma was too great. He committed suicide. Things had already ended between us at that point but I still longed for the _ifs_ and _could have beens_ after that.”

“You never fell in love again?” Maya asked.

Freedom laughed. “I fell in lust a lot of times, dear. I never found anybody I was interested in _marrying_ again. . .”

“Not even Neil?” Maya teased as she got up to get some coffee.

 _“Hush!”_ Freedom chided. “Neil is a great many things to me, including a _bed buddy_ but I think he’ll always be married to his wife. She was his great love.”

“If he’s sleeping with you then he has to have some sort of feelings for you!”

“Honey, adults sometimes can have sex without _love_. Surely you and your ex must have done it. . . I mean you two _were_ engaged.”

Maya shook her head and stirred creamer into her coffee. “We didn’t do it the whole time we were together.”

“Then you and Josh must have. . . with the kind of relationship you had and the length of time you had known each other. . .” Freedom trailed off when she realized Maya was still shaking her head _no_. “You’re still a _virgin_!?”

“Not for long,” Maya said, grinning. “Listen, he was raised different. In his family, you waited until you were married. At least his brother and sister-in-law did and he wanted to do the same thing. Afterwards, when he had left me, I realized I could do whatever I wanted but at that point, I’d wanted my first time to be with Josh.”

Freedom sighed. “I always knew that boy was strange. But to each their own, as I always say. So, do you still need me to run that letter to him since you ain’t seeing each other before the ceremony?”

“Could you?” Maya asked hopefully.

“I’ll get right to it,” Freedom answered, getting up and smiling at her. “You just kick back and relax. it may not seem like it but tonight will be here before you know it.”

**.**

_My whole entire journey has always led me to you._

**.**

Maya smiled at the note Freedom had brought back for her.  It was short and sweet and to the point. She hadn’t expected anything more from Josh. He always got to the point. It was one of the things that she loved about him.

“Did he write you something nice?” Freedom asked as she curled Maya’s hair.

“He usually always has something nice to say,” Maya answered, humming “Going to the Chapel” under her breath as she played with the tie on her bathrobe.

Freedom nodded. “You’re starting to look real pretty,” she said as she hair sprayed Maya’s hair so it wouldn’t get messed up if the wind picked up on the beach.

Maya glowed, smiling at her through the mirror. “I can’t wait to see him,” she told her.

“You’ll see him soon,” Freedom said. “There’s only an hour left until you walk down the aisle. Let’s finish getting you ready.”

“Okay!” Maya agreed even more cheerful than she had been the week before.

**.**

Josh untied the ocean-colored tie he was wearing and retied it again. He was anxious to get on with getting married, there was only an hour left but it might has well been an eternity given the length of time he had already waited to be with her.

“Having trouble?” Neil asked as he came into the master bedroom.

“I’m just excited. And a little anxious too,” Josh answered.

“Good! It just means you’re about to create something crazy magical.”

Josh turned and looked at Neil. “If my father were here, he’d be giving me some sound advice. Do you have any?”

“When she’s wrong, she’s still going to be right. Never go to bed angry, complete the honey to do list without complaining. Tell her that she’s beautiful and that you love her every single day but especially before you make love. Do not watch sports all weekend long. Dance with her, laugh with her, steal her sorrows. Never forget what brought you two together or what made you love her in the first place. These things are recipe for a long and prosperous marriage, Josh.”

“I’ve known her for almost my entire life. Loved her that long too,” Josh mused. “I’ve spent a majority of our relationship running from her. .  . first because of the three year age difference and then I ran away because I was too afraid to face the sadness when I lost my dad and mom.”

Neil picked up Maya’s wedding band and pressed it into Josh’s hand. “Well, I think that it’s time to stop running.”

Josh nodded. “I know. I’m going to.”

**.**

She was more beautiful than he could have ever imagined. Like something straight from a bridal magazine but even better because she was flesh and bone and walking towards him with a smile that was larger than life on her face. Her white lace and gauze dress blew out in the wind and he was rendered speechless.

Josh couldn’t believe he had spent any time running away from her. She had been everything he had ever dreamed of from the time he was a little boy and she was getting closer.

He walked to meet her and she reached out to catch his hand. For a moment, it was only Josh and Maya in the whole entire world and he forgot what was happening.

“We’re getting married,” Maya whispered, breaking him away from his thoughts and from memorizing her.

“We’re getting married,” Josh repeated, squeezing her hand and turning back to the altar that had been constructed by the seaside.

Neil and Freedom smiled at them from their places by the pastor. They smiled back and went to say their vows in front of God and the two people who had become Josh’s family in the shadow of ashes and loss.

It was time to finish healing. 

**.**

“Maya, we met when we were kids. You were 6 and I was 9. You were wearing a pink t-shirt with the American flag on it and you looked less thrilled to do it. I was shooting water guns and you got angrier when I hit you in the face. I didn’t know then that we’d fall in love one day, I didn’t even think you’d be in my life after that week because I was too young to think in terms of forever and the long game. Of course you stayed Riley’s best friend and we kept being thrown together. When it clear you weren’t going anywhere. . . it was only natural to fall in love with you. I know I didn’t show it very well in those early days but I loved you, I did. Today I’m promising to love you and let you know it, to never bring up the age thing again and to cherish and respect you for as long as we both shall live.”

Maya smiled at him teary-eyed and happy. She took a deep breath and started her not so carefully crafted speech.

“I have loved you for as long as I can remember. Even when I was that angry, sad little girl. Yeah, you squirted me in the face with your Super Soaker and I was only 6-years-old but you were the cutest boy I had ever seen. Over the years, I got to know you better and I was attracted to your strong sense of family and your kindness. You were still a good looking boy but there was so much more to you. I was in love with you even more. You encompassed everything I wanted and didn’t think I could ever have. But you were so much more than that too. And then I got to know you and I loved you even more if that was even possible.

“You know I never stopped loving you. Not even for those years we were apart. I don’t think I knew how to stop and that’s why we’re here today. Because I couldn’t stop loving you no matter how hard I tried. Sure, I was drunk when I decided to come and see you one last time but it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, second to loving you. So, today I promise to never let you go. To follow you if you decide you have to leave, to honor and respect you and love you as long as we both shall live.”

The pastor said a few words, pronounced them husband and wife and then he told Josh to kiss the bride.

Maya giggled a little bit at the term _bride_ and then threw her arms around him when he lifted her veil, giving him one of the sweetest kisses they had ever shared while Neil and Freedom applauded and cheered for them.

And then it was over and they were walking up the aisle. 

**.**

Their wedding dinner was from Moby Dicks and their cake was a sheet cake from Shaw’s with their names written in sea glass blue frosting while Neil and Freedom took pictures of them with digital cameras. They made it home by twilight time. The world was bathed in pink and gold.

They sat on the porch together, still dressed for their wedding. Maya leaned her head against Josh’s shoulder and sighed.

“We’re husband and wife now,” she told him.

“I know,” Josh said, smiling at the nouns. A thought suddenly occurred to him. “You’re not going to regret this later on, are you? Not having a big wedding with all our friends and family here to celebrate with us?”

“Nope,” Maya answered. “I am completely and perfectly happy. If I regret anything, it’s that we didn’t get to have a first dance together.”

“We’ve had plenty of dances, Maya,” Josh teased, nudging her gently in the shoulder.

“I meant as _husband and wife_ ,” Maya replied, nudging him back.

“Okay.”

 _“Okay!?”_ Maya repeated. “Is that all you’re going to say!? _Okay!?_ ”

Josh stood up and went into the house without saying a word. A few seconds later, music came pouring out of the open windows and he returned, holding his hand out to her.

“Maya, they’re playing our song,” he said.

Maya listened for a second, her face breaking out into a wide smile when she realized “‘S Wonderful” was playing. They’d danced to it when they were young teenagers and had promptly claimed it as their own even though they were still years away from actually getting together.

“You actually have it!” Maya asked as she stood up and took his hand.

“I actually have several versions of this song,” Josh replied as he pulled her in and started to dance with her. He lowered his voice and whispered in her ear, “I’ve been collecting them for the past five years.”

Maya laughed. “I love you,” she said softly.

“I love you too.”

And he kissed her before resting his forehead against her’s and swaying to the music while sunset faded into night and they entered into the rest of life’s journey.

Together.

**The End**

 

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have issues with the virginity thing, I already took it into account. But remember, Cory and Topanga waited until they were married. For me the Joshaya relationship parallels theirs just a tiny bit, so I ran with it for this story. I hope you don’t mind too much. And I hope you don’t mind that I kept their actual wedding night to the imagination. 
> 
> Okay, so there’s going to be a one-shot to this story. Did you think I’d leave it without them telling their families what happened? Of course not. I was going to try and smoosh it all into one chapter but I thought better of it. I hope you will stay tuned for that one-shot. I hope to have it ready for next week.
> 
> I’ll be back soon.
> 
> Thank you for taking this journey with me.

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Note:   
> I’m just going to leave this here. I hope you’ll tell me what you thought. I anxiously await your thoughts on this new story. I promise you will have backstory to why Josh picked up his life and moved to the Cape. And you will know what’s going on with Maya and with Josh/Maya. If you’re not following me, at least follow this story. I swear you will like what is to come!
> 
> Love,  
> Holly, 3/31/2016


End file.
